Doctors are spreading awareness against preeclampsia and eclampsia that can be fatal for pregnant women

5% of all pregnancies get more complicated due to hypertension, and it delays in childbearing.

According to latest maternity report, Jamaican women during and post pregnancy are suffering from hypertension issues. There are four types of hyper tensions, among which the riskiest ones are preeclampsia and eclampsia. Dr. Keisha Buchanan of ICON Medical Centre who is a very renowned obstetrician-gynecologist has done extensive research on the same to bring out several points to the light.

“Preeclampsia is one of the most seen obstetric complications in Jamaican women nowadays. The major portion of protein from their body gets passed out through urine which makes them very weak. This can cause headaches, vomiting, nausea, sudden stomach ache and other issues.”

Dr. Buchanan also mentioned that she had found many of these symptoms of preeclampsia growing in mothers when they visit for the ultrasound. It signifies that the condition of hypertension gets triggered in a certain situation.

From Dr. Buchanan’s words regarding eclampsia, it was clear that this form of hypertension is riskier. “It can cause a sudden seizure, coma and it usually happens within 25 days post birth of a child.” This is also very much prevailing in (almost 80% of the women) when during labor.

As per researchers, this also happens to women during pregnancy. If a to-be-mother is suffering from eclampsia, the fetus can face some significant problems.

“With increased hypertension or eclampsia during pregnancy, there can be loss of amniotic fluid and slow down of the growth of fetus.” Dr. Buchanan also added, “This happens to women between age 20 and 40 years.”

This means, a wide range of people can fall in this category and suffer from this problem. The other thing that increases the risk of this problem is HELLP syndrome.

When asked, she explained it in more details, “HELLP syndrome includes the abnormal function of the liver, anemia, and low blood platelets. This can easily lead to bleeding in pregnant women like vaginal bleeding, bleeding behind the placenta, bleeding inside liver due to rupture in certain tissues, etc.”

She also advised that in times of any seizure, magnesium sulfate medication or injection can bring the patient under control without causing any loss.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice from 2015 to 2017 has taken some specific steps to control this situation. They have introduced certain guidelines in several health care centers to treat this specific condition.

Doctors believe that, these guidelines in treatment can control the condition of hypertension in new mothers and improve the health of the baby.